


Lynn's Nightmare

by Willowflower_Waterlily



Series: Inquisitor Lynn [30]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2018-03-29 03:00:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3879640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowflower_Waterlily/pseuds/Willowflower_Waterlily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen walks in on Lynn praying and she tells him about her nightmares.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lynn's Nightmare

Lynn hears heavy footfalls behind her as she kneels in front of the statue of Andraste. She turns and sees Cullen standing in the door way. "I... Didn't realize anyone else would be here so late. I'll leave."

"No, it's okay Commander, I was about to leave anyways." Lynn stands up and goes to leave the small room, when Cullen stands in front of her.

"Lynn, please. Talk to me, or at least look at me." The agony in his voice broke her heart. She never meant to hurt him. 

"I can't." Lynn whispers.

"Why not." Cullen reaches for Lynn, but she pulls away from his touch.

"My nightmares. When I have nightmares of the night I was made tranquil, it's no longer the Knight-Commander." Lynn looks up at him, tears in her eyes. "It's you that I see now. You that pushed the brand onto my forehead, the one that rapes me. I can't get it out of my head, and when I wake up, I hear your voice in my head saying that some people deserve to be made tranquil." The images from her nightmares run through her head on a loop. And it's Cullen laughing at her suffering, making her stare at him as he takes part of her away, raping her. Her breathe catches, becoming raged. Body shaking, Lynn collapses. Cullen catches her before she hits the ground.

"Lynn! Stay with me!" Her eyelids feel heavy, and all she wants to do is sleep. Cullen picks her up and runs her somewhere, trying to get her to stay awake. Her eyes close, and she finds she can't open them again. Darkness fills her mind, and Lynn drifts away from the waking world.

 

Lynn is walking down a path, not knowing how she got there. When she gets to a cross roads, she sees Shaelya sitting in the middle. "Shaelya."

"Lynn." The elf woman smiles at her like she's an old friend. "You have another choice before you. Turn around and walk back to the world of the living or drift on the roads of the beyond."

"I should go back. To defeat Coryfeus." Shaelya nods at her.

"If the world were safe, and Coryfeus defeated, what would you chose?" Lynn looks around, thinking before she looks back at Shaelya.

"I would move on. If the world is safe, it would no longer have a need for me." As Lynn speaks, she feels an ache in her chest. All the pain and suffering she felt throughout her life overwhelms her.

"You've been through so much, and you would still go back to the world that was the cause of it?" Lynn nods, not knowing what to say. "They all love you, you know. The people that court you." Shaelya grins at Lynn. "I would have gone with the Shem Commander."

"He's your soul mate, isn't he?" Lynn isn't sure why she asked, already knowing the answer. The sad look in Shaelya's eyes confirm it. "I'm so sorry." Shaelya embraces her, letting Lynn cry on her shoulder.

"It's okay, lethallan. In another world, he and I are together." She kisses the top of Lynn's head. "In this one he loves you, and you love him."

"Sometimes, love isn't enough." Lynn dries her eyes. "Without trust, there's nothing."

"Lethallan." Lynn hears Solas calling from behind her. In what seems like the blink of an eye, he is standing beside her. "How are you here, lethallan?" Lynn nods to Shaelya, who beams at Solas. "Shaelya was at the temple with me, we looked around together, but split up in the basement. She is Cullen's soul mate."

"Opportunities missed..." Solas mutters. Looking at Shaelya, he stares at her in confusion. "Why do you linger here?"

"I am waiting for my soul mate. When he comes, we will move on together. He will know me." Solas nods, and reaches for Lynn's hand.

"We must go back, lethallan." Lynn nods and glances at Shaelya one final time before walking back the way she came.

 

Opening her eyes, Lynn sees that she's back in her room. Anders, Bryce, and Hawke asleep, squeezed on to the sofa, and Cullen is in a chair beside her bed. When she makes a noise, he wakes up. "Lynn, I was so scared you were going to die." His chin quivers as he reaches for her hand.

"I almost did, I was at the crossroads. The Dalish elf that was in the temple with me was there. She... She was the one you were supposed to be with. I'm so sorry. Your soul mate died in my place." 

"It's not your fault." Cullen squeezes her hand softly. "You didn't have a choice, you didn't kill her, Coryfeus did." Cullen closes his eyes and takes a deep breathe. "It still doesn't change how I feel for you. I still love you, Lynn."

"And I you, but..." Tears trickle down her cheeks.

"It isn't enough. I understand." Cullen pulls his hand from hers. "It was my fault, please know that no matter what happens, I will always care for you."

"I hope that we can be friends someday." Lynn says. The dam breaks in her heart, and she sobs, her shoulders shaking as she grips her blanket. Cullen moved beside her on her bed and pulls her into an embrace. "I'm so sorry."

"Hush now. It isn't your fault, it's mine." Cullen pulls away from Lynn and wipes her tears away. "Of course we can be friends." Lynn leans into Cullen's chest, her heart breaking for what Cullen could have had with Shaelya.


End file.
